Ratin yourself by a letter designation is too subjective
- Thread starter philly
- Start date
Grandmaster.
I'm rated the undeniably ultimate supreme being of billiards.
If SVB plays better than Billie Thorpe, but Billie Thorpe plays better than the short stop at your local hall, and the local short stop plays better than the guy who is an APA SL9. Are they Masters, Advanced, or Intermediate?
This thread = "I think using letters is stupid, lets use words instead!"
If SVB plays better than Billie Thorpe, but Billie Thorpe plays better than the short stop at your local hall, and the local short stop plays better than the guy who is an APA SL9. Are they Masters, Advanced, or Intermediate?
This thread = "I think using letters is stupid, lets use words instead!"
I honestly don't know; your labels are just as subjective as letters.
When someone asks me how good I am (it's usually someone who doesn't play pool) I answer, "I'm better than some, worse than others. If you pick up a cue once a month when you're in a bar, I'm going to kick your ass. If you play regularly, then it just depends."
When someone asks me how good I am (it's usually someone who doesn't play pool) I answer, "I'm better than some, worse than others. If you pick up a cue once a month when you're in a bar, I'm going to kick your ass. If you play regularly, then it just depends."
I don't get it
The "letters" classifications with plus and minus for each letter would be at least 12 classes and that's if you leave out Shortstop, Open, Pro, etc.
Grouping into only 5 categories is supposed to be less subjective?
:scratchhead:
The "letters" classifications with plus and minus for each letter would be at least 12 classes and that's if you leave out Shortstop, Open, Pro, etc.
Grouping into only 5 categories is supposed to be less subjective?
:scratchhead:
Sure thing boss. Honestly, I'm a C player at best. I don't know what that translates to, in your designations. Honestly, I don't think it matters, because most people don't understand what a C player is. Honestly, I don't think they know what any letter grade player is, unless you reference something they DO understand.
If I had to guess, this is the way I would break it down:
Beginner = D player = APA SL3 or lower
Novice = C player = APA SL4/5
Intermediate = B player = APA SL6/7
Advanced = A player = APA SL8/9
Master = Pro = APA... oh wait
So, even if I tried to break it down, I still don't agree with it. I'm an APA SL6, but what is an APA SL6? I've beaten SL8's. So does that make me an A player or an Advanced player? Is it getting confusing yet? :boring2:
You are just now learning that people typically hold an often unrealistic high impression of themselves ? I will help you out ... it is not just in matters of pool skill.
Dave
PS I am an advanced player around here, and likely an intermediate player in places like NYC
Any skill level ratings are subjective, especially when determined by the person being rated.
There's no difference (abet symantics) between A+, A, B+.... and Master, Advanced,... Different words for the same thing.
Dr Dave's skills test is a reasonable ranking of shot-making skills, but not a measure of competitive ability. Accu-stats TPA rankings are a better measure of competitive ability, but how many of us have TPA rankings? (and TPA isn't used in 14.1 or one-pocket to the best of my limited knowledge).
In any case, I chose Novice. My opponent last night would have ranked me as Intermediate. Sometimes I wonder if I've even reached Beginner.
There's no difference (abet symantics) between A+, A, B+.... and Master, Advanced,... Different words for the same thing.
Dr Dave's skills test is a reasonable ranking of shot-making skills, but not a measure of competitive ability. Accu-stats TPA rankings are a better measure of competitive ability, but how many of us have TPA rankings? (and TPA isn't used in 14.1 or one-pocket to the best of my limited knowledge).
In any case, I chose Novice. My opponent last night would have ranked me as Intermediate. Sometimes I wonder if I've even reached Beginner.
Dave, you are absolutely right. I understand your point. I don't and won't play APA for various reasons. However I have been told by APA players that I'd be an APA SL7. I still call myself a C player or intermediate. I guess it comes down to cash on the line when playing sets then. Just trying to find some sort of rating system without the woofing. One guy rated himself a Master. I guess he plays in an open format against pros without handicap. See what I mean?
APA ratings mean nothing. Literally, zero. Score yourself at Hopkins's Cue Skill and your rating speaks volumes for your true ability.
The one guy that choose Master, was me. I chose Master to prove a point. People lie.
I agree.
To add, I last did the Hopkins Q Skill Challenge two years ago on an 8ft Brunswick with standard pockets, and scored under "Developing Pro" according to this link from Dr. Dave: http://billiards.colostate.edu/PBReview/HopkinsQSkill.htm
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See what I mean. Just looking for honesty among the fraternity. Too mush to ask. Comes down to cash on a few sets then. Yup.
Letter designations can be accurate as long as people provide some honest clarifications:
Rating based on:
table size: 7,8,9 foot ?
ranking in local league, if so, location
skills test such as avg. # of balls run
offensive skill/ability
win/loss record
team league, singles league, tournament
Rating based on:
table size: 7,8,9 foot ?
ranking in local league, if so, location
skills test such as avg. # of balls run
offensive skill/ability
win/loss record
team league, singles league, tournament
The way I've been playing in League the last two months, I selected Intermediate.
No Practice, at all, isn't helping.
No Practice, at all, isn't helping.
Novice should be worse than Beginner unless my definitions are off. A novice is someone who has never played pool yet, a beginner is someone that just started.
Novice is not really a D yet
Beginner is a D
Intermediate is a C
Advanced is a B
Master is an A
Where is the difference between using words and letters? None of them are subjective, there are many threads about practice tests you can do with playing the ghost over 10+ games to get your skill rating. Plus other players can rank you without that, I know a B player or an A when I see one, and I'm sure so would most if not all of the regular posters here. The word categories are actually way more subjective, for example the Open category in one particular league national tournament is not for "Open" level players but for everyone. Yet most players when they say someone is an Open, it means they are ranked right bellow Pro level speed. And a Grandmaster category may mean "old players" instead of "really good players".
Where is the Master and Master +? You can have an A, A+, A++, although past an A+ I usually go with Open and then Pro level instead of going with A++ or A+++.
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You bring up a good point -- I've always thought that the Q Skill should be done on a 9'er with no more than 4.5" pockets, since that's really the standard in 9' big event play. Otherwise, it would be like a player doing the PGA Skill Challenge at their local pitch and putt.
There's such a HUUUUUGE difference in difficulty from a 9'er with 4.5" pockets and an 8'er, which is your typical home table (that said, a GC 8'er isn't your typical home table -- it's harder -- so I'm not singling out your ability or score). An 8'er with standard 5" pockets is probably the easiest table to play on, followed closely by a Valley 7" without shimmed pockets.
Meaning, there are some tables where a good player should literally never miss and some tables where that same player can't take anything for granted. That's why there should be a baseline table to do these rating assessments.
My humble opinion, the order of difficulty is:
EASIEST
Home table, 8', 5" pockets (less congestion than the valley and super easy pocketing)
Valley Bar box, standard pocket cut
Gandy (or similar) 9', standard pocket cut
Diamond 7'er, Pro-cut pockets
Brunswick Gold Crown 9'er, 4.5" (This should be PAR for rating assessments)
Diamond 9'er, 4.5 Pro-cut
Diamond 10'er, 4.5 Pro-cut
Chinese 9'er 8-ball table, Snooker-cut pockets
5x10 Snooker table
6x12 Snooker table
HARDEST
There are a bunch of in-betweeners, but that's the general gist. I think Dr. Dave tried to create an equipment factor, which is admirable, but the calculations are conjecture instead of assessing people long-term using something like Q skills on different equipment and using stats to generate the difficulty factor.
It would be nice to figure a "slope" rating for tables, like golfers have for golf courses... one that actually works and makes sense.
Dave
I agree. Table difficulty plays a huge part in how well a player actually plays.